Last Friday, January 25 2008, UK science professor David Colquhoun presented a talk at the University of Toronto, hosted by CFI:Ontario and the UofT Secular Alliance, entitled "Science in an Age of Endarkenment". While the silly title with a made-up word was alone enough to make me skip the talk, I attended the bi-weekly series with an open mind (as always) .
CFI exec Justin Trottier’s introduction was much quicker than usual, which was surprising and welcomed, and I sensed that he is getting a lot better at what must be a boring and repetitive task for him. The UTSA rep that followed was hesitant and awkward but you have to start somewhere and no one was listening anyways.
Colquhoun started his talk with a shriek of the microphone and continued with a gargling sound coughing every two seconds until one of the hosts stood up and adjusted the system. His inability to use his own powerpoint slides was distracting and I chuckled as I kept comparing him to a mumbling, bumbling grandpa who enjoyed ranting against everything he hates.
Although, to be fair, the topic was interesting (although CFI hosted a similar talk two weeks ago). Even though the speaker couldn’t articulate his position I felt he did a good job describing the homeopathic industry and how they scam some of the most vulnerable of today’s society. He continued by rallying against the university system for allowing these quacks to promote their trade (although he said he wouldn’t have a problem with them if they had the same rigorous scientific protocols that real science classes had to follow). He lost me when he started blaming the state of universities on corporations, which I found ironic since he is a pharmacologist whose career hinges on the drug industry.
He concluded by mentioning the power of the internet to affect change, with a special emphasis on bloggers, to which I almost felt bad comparing him to a mumbling, bumbling grandpa, especially since he joined us afterwards at a local pub.
Overall, the event was successful, filling three hundred seats, and, I hope, picking up a few more supporters for CFI. When I asked, most people found the topic interesting but didn’t think the speaker was very good. I’d like to see if CFI can find a speaker who hasn’t been brainwashed by socialism but I guess even a lonely young libertarian, stuck in a cesspool of economic ignorance, should be allowed his own utopian fantasies.
For some more positive reviews, see The Frame Problem, and Liberal Debutante.
Also check out the National Post article that appeared the day after the talk.
2 comments:
Oh dear, I see that my assumption that redneck libertarians are confined to Texas was mistaken. Well, it isn't the first time I've been mistaken.
There is a problem in the UK too for sceptics in that there is a small wing of the movement, that has views that, once you get below the surface, are actually those of the far right. The odd thing is that many of them are actually aging Trotskyites who were at one time supporters of the magazine Living Marxism.
Ah yes, we libertarians are confused bunch. We bounce around a lot on the political spectrum. It's fun to be accused of being a redneck, right-wing conservative by the left but an immoral, hedonistic, hippie by the right. I seem like I oppose everything and am detested by everyone which has its annoyances but I enjoy the debates it generates.
I'm not sure if you're the real DC but if you are, keep up the good work (although try to stay focused on the science).
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